L. Shankar with Selvaganesh Vinayakram and Amit Kavthekar

Details
  • New York Society for Ethical Culture
  • September 18, 2026

World Music Institute Presents L. Shankar, the esteemed Indian violinist, singer, and composer, celebrated as one of the pioneers of East-West fusion and widely regarded as a living legend by his peers and fans alike. His versatility as a musician is reflected in his ventures into various musical genres; in addition to his classical albums, he has released globally acclaimed pop, rock, and EDM albums and has worked on soundtracks for award-winning films, including a collaboration with Peter Gabriel on the Grammy Award-winning soundtrack Passion for The Last Temptation of Christ. Notably, Shankar created a 10-string stereophonic double violin — known as the LSD — which covers the entire orchestral string family’s range.

Over his four-decade career, he has toured and recorded with artists such as U2, Talking Heads, Allah Rakha, and Zakir Hussain, and co-founded the groundbreaking world music ensemble Shakti with John McLaughlin in the mid-1970s.
Performers:
L. Shankar: Electric Double Violin and Vocals
Selvaganesh Vinayakram: Kanjira (frame drum), Mridangam (barrel drum), Konnakol
Amit Kavthekar: Tabla